The present invention relates generally to intelligent vehicle systems and more specifically to an information system for a vehicle that integrates information from multiple sources on a single in-vehicle display.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the drawings hereto: Copyright (copyright) 1998 Diversified Software Industries, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Motor vehicles are undergoing dramatic changes in their capabilities due to the use of computer-based technologies. The early use of computer-based technologies in motor vehicles included technologies designed to enhance vehicle capability and performance. Examples of these technologies included electronic fuel injection to control engine performance, antilock braking systems to help a driver retain control on slippery roads, and cruise control to relieve a driver""s tedium during long stretches of driving.
The more recent use of computer-based technologies is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the driver, including driver safety, performance, and convenience. Such computer-based technologies that are currently available include electronic steering and suspension, keyless and remote entry systems, devices that remember a driver""s seating and mirror positions, and radio settings for example. New technologies are also available for navigation based on dead-reckoning technology and global positioning systems.
Previously, new computer-based technologies for vehicles were generally available to consumers as optional equipment by new vehicle manufacturers or as specialty components available from after-market suppliers. Such new technologies have yet to be fully integrated to create a single system for the driver to use. The large number of these new and uncoordinated technologies used in motor vehicles can distract and overwhelm drivers with competing messages and demands. Often, a driver may be required to respond to incoming information, while the driver is performing complex driving tasks.
Drivers have more information available now than they have traditionally had in the past. With the increasing amount of information becoming available to a driver, there is a need to effectively manage information made available to the driver. Without a system to manage various new in-vehicle technologies, driving performance and safety is degraded. With the amount of electronics and information that is now becoming available in vehicles, there is a need to integrate, condense and present all of this information in a coherent and cohesive manner to drivers.
Therefore, there is a need for a single system that integrates disparate in-vehicle technologies in a system that is easy to use and does not degrade driving performance and safety.
The present invention relates an information system for a vehicle which integrates information from multiple sources on a single programmable in-vehicle display. The display may be presented to an operator or a passenger in the vehicle, depending on the intended use of the information presented on the display.
One aspect of the invention is an information system for use in a vehicle. The information system integrates information from multiple sources and selectively presents the information to an operator on a single display located in the line of sight of the operator of the vehicle. The information presented to the operator at a particular time depends on predefined priorities.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of presenting information from multiple applications on a dynamic in-vehicle display. According to the method, data is received from one of the applications. The data is prioritized to determine if a new screen is to be presented on the display. A current screen presented on the in-vehicle display is updated when at least one triggering condition indicates to do so.
A further aspect of the invention is a vehicle having an in-vehicle information system for receiving information from a variety of sources and selectively displaying the information to a driver based on predetermined priorities. The information is displayed to the driver on a centrally located display. The system also includes an in-vehicle browser for presenting information to the driver and receiving requests from the driver.
An additional aspect of the invention is an intelligent vehicle system having an in-vehicle information system for receiving information from a variety of sources and selectively displaying the information to a driver based on predetermined priorities. The intelligent vehicle system also has a server for providing information to the in-vehicle information system.
A still further aspect of the invention is a computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to perform a method of presenting information from multiple applications on a dynamic in-vehicle display.
Still other and further embodiments, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by reading the following detailed description.